Lesson #1: Parking
A couple of nights ago I took my boys out for beef and leaf (Hubby had to work late - seems like a trend since being here at Yongsan this time around). While we were sitting eating Boy 2 ask what the numbers were that were digitally running across the car in the parking lot....do you see them just below, you can see the 010- ?
Well, that is the phone number of the person that owns that car! You see here in Korea the parking is INSANE!! You can double park (even though in the driving manual it says you can never do this), you can block people in when you park and you can even park on the sidewalks. No joke. It happens all the time. People leave their cars in neutral so if you need to move a car out of your way you can OR they leave their phone number on the dash so if you need to get out of a parking spot you can call them to have them come out and move their car! Crazy huh? Anyway, this person must be loaded to have a digital read out of their phone number going at all times. I've always dreamed of having a digital sign in my car so I can tell people what I think of their driving....
A couple of nights ago I took my boys out for beef and leaf (Hubby had to work late - seems like a trend since being here at Yongsan this time around). While we were sitting eating Boy 2 ask what the numbers were that were digitally running across the car in the parking lot....do you see them just below, you can see the 010- ?
Well, that is the phone number of the person that owns that car! You see here in Korea the parking is INSANE!! You can double park (even though in the driving manual it says you can never do this), you can block people in when you park and you can even park on the sidewalks. No joke. It happens all the time. People leave their cars in neutral so if you need to move a car out of your way you can OR they leave their phone number on the dash so if you need to get out of a parking spot you can call them to have them come out and move their car! Crazy huh? Anyway, this person must be loaded to have a digital read out of their phone number going at all times. I've always dreamed of having a digital sign in my car so I can tell people what I think of their driving....
While in Korea leave your phone number on your dash and your car in neutral.
Lesson #2: Free Korean Coffee
Most restaurants have these little coffee machines where you can help yourself to coffee - we have taught our children how to operate them so we don't have to get up. You gotta love a little child labor.
Most restaurants have these little coffee machines where you can help yourself to coffee - we have taught our children how to operate them so we don't have to get up. You gotta love a little child labor.
Teach your child to spot all free coffee dispensers.
Lesson #3: NEVER EVER forget your ID.
After dinner the we ordered to go food for Hubby.
After dinner the we ordered to go food for Hubby.
As soon as he took the order I started digging in my purse for my wallet. That is when it hit me. I LEFT MY WALLET IN OUR SWIM BAG. OMG, OMG, OMG. I have no credit card, no money AND NO identification. A wave of panic sets in. CRAP, CRAP, CRAP. What to do, what to do.... You see no money and no credit card didn't bother me too much. It was the no identification that had me in freak out mode. No ID means I CANNOT GET ON POST. I can't even go home to get money. I'm screwed.
OK, I'm being dramatic. I'm not totally screwed. Thankfully I was at a restaurant we frequent so I knew where we were. That is a positive. Plus I had a teenager with me that I could send home...in the end I called Hubby (thankfully he was home) and ask him to bring my ID to me and of course my knight in shining armor came out and saved the day! :o) I had other options too but seriously, what a pain in the tush. I'm betting I NEVER forget my ID again.
Lesson #4: Korean Take Out. Know what you are ordering.
At some point during my freak out Hubby's to go food came:
OK, I'm being dramatic. I'm not totally screwed. Thankfully I was at a restaurant we frequent so I knew where we were. That is a positive. Plus I had a teenager with me that I could send home...in the end I called Hubby (thankfully he was home) and ask him to bring my ID to me and of course my knight in shining armor came out and saved the day! :o) I had other options too but seriously, what a pain in the tush. I'm betting I NEVER forget my ID again.
Lesson #4: Korean Take Out. Know what you are ordering.
At some point during my freak out Hubby's to go food came:
It was unusually cold and when I looked in the bag, this is what I saw:
And then I got a case of the giggles. It wasn't even cooked! I had to do it myself AND he didn't get sides. When I ask for sides I got a big fat finger "X". Really? He can't have Kimchi. Whatever I was too frazzled at this point to argue. I was just happy to be able to get back on post so I could go home cook his 'take out'.
Take out isn't always what you expect.